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==> PHERAE: EMERGE
Your name is PHERAE ELAPHA, and never in all your sweeps have you been SO OVERWHELMED.
And, frankly, you're not so sure about the "emerging," either. The narrow windows at the top of this tower are just the right dimensions for you to fire your bow through, and it makes you feel much better to be able to do exactly that, despite the current TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES rendering your efforts at self-defense a bit pointless.
Who was it that Kaprao said had made this game? In hindsight, maybe you really should have asked him.
As-is, you'll let your bow do the "emerging" for you: you fit your arrow through the narrow gap in the rough stone wall and let it fly. The thick thorny brambles — curling up the sides of the tower and forming a dense undergrowth that in places rises halfway as tall as the tower itself — provide excellent coverage for the imps below, but that's not really the problem. THE PROBLEM is that, as soon as your arrow hits the largest of your enemies, an enormous ogre covered in deceptively charming-looking flowers, and with antlers like those of your own lusus (hits him right in the eye, too, you note with a kind of beleaguered satisfaction), an ERROR MESSAGE flashes up: "INVALID TARGET." And then the arrow glances off him and hits the ground instead.
A good thing none of the helpful little half-troll-half-bleatbeasts are nearby; they, unfortunately, don't seem to be anything resembling immune to friendly fire. They'd been so excited when you first met them, kept calling you "the Maid," chattering something about some "great mother, lost." You still can't forgive yourself for getting one of them killed the first time this glitch appeared. Poor little Acty. He'd been such a promising young scientist, too.
It's been two days since that happened, and a day since you holed yourself up in one of the many TOWERS dotting the landscape of your planet, which the troll/bleatbeasts have told you is called the LAND OF THORNS AND FROGS. (True enough, there seem to be a number of frogs tucked away in nooks and crannies in the dense thorns. Some are gruesomely impaled, but most are, strangely enough, ASLEEP.) You had been out on an extremely promising ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH MISSION when the whole thing started, so it's the best you can do for shelter, separated from your hive and your husktop.
You fire another volley of arrows, mostly on principle, then switch to using your rope to lasso and toss off an intrepid imp climbing the side of the tower. Deermomsprite, for her part, smacks one down with one of her newly acquired tentacles. (In another bit of hindsight, using your squiddle plush for the second prototyping may not have been the best choice.)
Surely this will be over soon, you tell yourself. It's going to have to be...
---
LATER, POST-RESCUE:
-- tenderAgrotera [TA] has signed on. --
And, frankly, you're not so sure about the "emerging," either. The narrow windows at the top of this tower are just the right dimensions for you to fire your bow through, and it makes you feel much better to be able to do exactly that, despite the current TECHNICAL DIFFICULTIES rendering your efforts at self-defense a bit pointless.
Who was it that Kaprao said had made this game? In hindsight, maybe you really should have asked him.
As-is, you'll let your bow do the "emerging" for you: you fit your arrow through the narrow gap in the rough stone wall and let it fly. The thick thorny brambles — curling up the sides of the tower and forming a dense undergrowth that in places rises halfway as tall as the tower itself — provide excellent coverage for the imps below, but that's not really the problem. THE PROBLEM is that, as soon as your arrow hits the largest of your enemies, an enormous ogre covered in deceptively charming-looking flowers, and with antlers like those of your own lusus (hits him right in the eye, too, you note with a kind of beleaguered satisfaction), an ERROR MESSAGE flashes up: "INVALID TARGET." And then the arrow glances off him and hits the ground instead.
A good thing none of the helpful little half-troll-half-bleatbeasts are nearby; they, unfortunately, don't seem to be anything resembling immune to friendly fire. They'd been so excited when you first met them, kept calling you "the Maid," chattering something about some "great mother, lost." You still can't forgive yourself for getting one of them killed the first time this glitch appeared. Poor little Acty. He'd been such a promising young scientist, too.
It's been two days since that happened, and a day since you holed yourself up in one of the many TOWERS dotting the landscape of your planet, which the troll/bleatbeasts have told you is called the LAND OF THORNS AND FROGS. (True enough, there seem to be a number of frogs tucked away in nooks and crannies in the dense thorns. Some are gruesomely impaled, but most are, strangely enough, ASLEEP.) You had been out on an extremely promising ZOOLOGICAL RESEARCH MISSION when the whole thing started, so it's the best you can do for shelter, separated from your hive and your husktop.
You fire another volley of arrows, mostly on principle, then switch to using your rope to lasso and toss off an intrepid imp climbing the side of the tower. Deermomsprite, for her part, smacks one down with one of her newly acquired tentacles. (In another bit of hindsight, using your squiddle plush for the second prototyping may not have been the best choice.)
Surely this will be over soon, you tell yourself. It's going to have to be...
---
LATER, POST-RESCUE:
-- tenderAgrotera [TA] has signed on. --
==> Avispa+Phylus+Perrix: STRIFE
Upon arriving, Phylus mapped out your arrival location, and then utilizing one of his many MAPS the three of you quickly made your way to find your next Alpha teammate. Avispa, Phylus, Perrix, to the rescue!
Of course, the three of you find her quite quickly thanks to Phylus' maps, and you realize that she may, in fact, be IN TROUBLE. Be it Phylus' branch, Avispa's chain-skull, or Perrix's pure heroicism... someone's about to STRIFE TO THE RESCUE.
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Regardless, it's still fortunate because IT'S GODDAMN HERO TIME. In what seems like a flash, you're perched on top of the head of the previously mentioned ANTLERED, FLOWERED OGRE. You LEARNED YOUR LESSON with the flowers previously and deftly avoid them, but the ANTLERS are a different matter. In fact, they don't worry you at all now that they're no longer attached to the OGRE'S head! You politely return one, point-first.
As the beast topples over, you hop off and use the UNREAL AIRTIME to dropkick-into-spinesurf a LICH from behind. You stomp the prone mob into an explosion of GRIST, audible punctuation for your bellowing at the tower:
ELAPHA! ~~CS
Why are you hiding out here!? ~~CS
You're not going to do her the compliment of saying it, but she's strong enough to handle this and you know it.
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The ones that swarm like a meerkat mob are the easiest to take out -- one big grenade and they're a goner, even if it makes you sad to see them like that because that's your LUSUS you're killing...
Unfortunately you forgot that some of these stupid imps have the power to TURN INVISIBLE when they're attacking you, so you're grabbed from behind. You shove your ROCKET SNEAKS into its midsection and then, when it lets go because it's startled, you switch weapons and quickly stab it with your TRUSTY ORIGINAL BRANCH through the head.
Look at that! You didn't even cry!
where are you--x?
are you alIve--?!
You are, as always, fatalist to the end.
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What was that about relief, again? He has some nerve coming here and playing the hero. Sure, you REALLY NEEDED HELP, but he didn't know that. Who did he think he was, some kind of RUFFIANIHILATOR? You're not some MAIDEN IN MISHAP.
(Leaning out of the tower, your hair caught in the wind, you hold a fair resemblance to TROLL RAPUNZEL or some other likewise en-towered damsel, but of course you don't think of that. It's not like you would waste your time with grubtales when there was research to do!)
( i am... )
( NOT )
( hiding, perrix... )
( this is... a strategic withdrawal, if you absolutely must know. )
Otherwise known as hiding.
( while i am sure it is difficult for you to notice... with your typical degree of perception... )
In part to demonstrate that you are, in fact, thoroughly NOT DEAD, and in perhaps slightly larger part to prove SEVERAL POINTS regarding both your usefulness and your current, GLITCH-RELATED state of affairs, you activate the GEOGOSSAMER MECHANYMPHAL WINGPACK and hover slightly outside window. Then, you fire a quick sequence of three arrows. (While you have several BOW UPGRADES stashed back at your hive, you're still using the original model: all the new ones thus far have struck you as entirely too frilly to be trustworthy.) Each hits an imp, only to flicker and flash that all too familiar ERROR MESSAGE.
( i am having some...unavoidable technical difficulties. )
Which, of course, mean that you need him here after all. The thought makes you seethe. You really, really...
...HATE him.
Fuck.
...Oh, right, Phylus and and Avispa are here too; you'd better PULL YOURSELF TOGETHER.
( ...ah, thank you, everyone, for coming. )
( it is very thoughtful of you to go to all this trouble... )
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You can't help but stare in wonder at Pherae's arrival. A volley of arrows is worth the attention, though the fact that it didn't turn out to be effective gives you pause. What was that error popup? You point in the direction of the three imps, unable to help a little laugh as your CHAIN SKULL leaps forth and devours the imps. They were doomed, you're sure, and you made certain to dispose of them.
With a little bounce in your step, you can't help how excited you are to respond and share the plan with Pherae. It isn't any trouble, nope!
It's no trouble, no!
4bsolutely not, I promise!
We're finding 4nd g4thering... 4bsolutely everyone, we 4re!
Perrix 4nd Phylus 4nd... you 4nd K4lfour 4nd... Lyndis 4nd K4pr4o 4nd... Zirreh 4nd In4nn4 4nd... Duri4n 4nd then Hirune!
We're 4ll meeting on... Hirune's pl4net l4st, y4y!
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With even more flourish than usual, you pop up from the ARM BAR you had another RUBIK'S LICH in to toss the hapless game construct at a rather unpleasant VOODOO OGRE. Following quickly behind, you use the stunned larger enemy's face as a stepping stool to leap from, a nearby jutting clump of bramble to wall-jump from, and catch a loose broken flagpole to swing yourself up to the window with surprising speed. The next thing that crosses your lips would be best described as PHERAE'S LIPS.
In fact, you don't so much KISS THE GIRL as you VIOLENTLY POUNCE AND FORCE THE GIRL BACK INTO THE TOWER WITH YOUR MOUTH.
...You'd like to keep going. In fact, it takes a considerable amount of willpower to stop yourself from forcing her all the way to the back wall and letting the other two GREENIES outside handle the rest of the enemies, but you're a PROFESSIONAL HERO, dammit. There's an order to these things. In one swift motion you break from the embrace, turn back to the window, and toss the CLOAK CLOAK you'd made before coming so that it perfectly drapes over PHERAE'S HORNS.
Well if you're useless for now, then stay here and out of the way. ~~CS
Without waiting for a response, you're back out the window and in the fray. After all, despite your usual aloof attitude, even you would be A BIT EMBARRASSED to watch her reaction to the note that falls out of the CLOAK CLOAK. Only one thing is written on it:
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You take about five seconds to stare at him ki. . . eating? EATING PHERAE'S FACE (or something, this is all very confusing) before you swat imps out of your way and make it over to Avispa, just in case you need some backup or something.
(Also you may be making sure he doesn't try eating HER face because. Just because, that's all!
whaT Is he even doIng--x?!
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You had barely had enough time to acknowledge what could only be described as a truly ridiculous, over-flourished, and...genuinely impressive act of acrobatic hoofbeastshit (inspiring both appreciation and rivalry; surely anything HE could do, YOU could do better), when his mouth was on yours and you were both tumbling back into the tower.
Thoughts had clearly been for trolls with less pressing distractions; you dug your claws into his back without really realizing it. Wasn't he going to press you all the way back against the wall, now?
Then he had pulled away and draped...something? were you invisible now? (fine, Perrix, that's pretty clever)...over your head. And dropped a NOTE.
> Pherae: Read the note.
It's a good thing you've got the CLOAK CLOAK hiding you, because there's no other way you were going to hide the dark jade green your cheeks just flushed.
Well, if you've got to HATE SOMEONE, at least you can be HATED BACK.
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You, of all trolls, blush. You actually see what Perrix just did to Pherae and you understand it. You saw that in a book, one of the ones that explained quadrants, and... you know exactly what that might mean. The puzzle pieces of this situation are falling into place.
No wonder you noticed a sense of urgency and enthusiasm when Perrix was informed this is where they would be stopping next. Because, in some way, Pherae and Perrix had filled one of their quadrants. You don't know which one, but you're sure it's either red or black. Heart or Spade.
This is a shocking development. Of course, you can't see anything that happens once they're in the tower, which prompts you to turn to Phylus. He doesn't know...?
Um, I don't think... it's something they w4nt... us to see, no.
Or worry 4bout, either.
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Enough gawking. ~~CS
Elapha is worthless on this planet for now, ~let's~ finish up. ~~CS
Even while barking orders you don't lose your grin, nor does it fade even as you perform a perfect SHOOTING STAR PRESS out the window and onto the VOODOO OGRE that moments ago served as an unruly, unwilling platform for you. It's hard not to be distracted, considering. Somehow you make it look, if not easy, then at least BADASS. Even (especially?) equipped with THE KING'S GAUNTLET.
Honestly you're just thankful that cleaning up the last few MOBS is enough of a distraction to keep you from thinking about OTHER STUFF.
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Oh. Oh my. OH.
no I--x
I know--x....
I ThoughT IT was jusT supposed To be more--x
waIT--x
are They black--x?
You fumble a little bit because you're totally distracted, but thankfully you take this chance to perform some AWESOME ACROBATICS using your rocket boots and let out some IMP-SEEKING MISSILES you've been experimenting on with the help of Wess, who you actually feel is sort of cool.
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Pherae
are you okay?
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You mentally run through an uncomfortably...black...assortment of words that come to mind for a certain blueblood's involvement.
( ...resolved. )
( thank you for checking in on me; i hope i didn't worry you too much... )
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it's okay
you've just been kind of
quiet
for a whi|e
and there's been p|ayers apparent|y dying in one of the other sessions
so...
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( some, ah, minor trouble with properly targetting imps... )
( and, well... i suppose i got cut off from my hive and my husktop for a while... )
( wait— )
( players are...dying? )
( what's going on? )
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and their server order changed
they're most |ike|y dead
so urm
anyone going quiet for more than a few hours is
pretty worrying by now
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( we never even really... got to know so many of them... )
( but the ones i had met seemed so interesting and now... )
( ...i'm sorry, i... i should probably be better at this... )
( and i'm sorry for worrying you, too. )
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things have been happening
and sometimes shit just happens
and most of the a|iens seemed |ike they're okay peop|e
You are not one to normally swear much, but frankly you cannot think of a more apt way to state this.
just
hopefu||y you won't end up disappearing |ike that again?
as circumstances a||ow anyway
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( well, i'm... going to try very hard not to disappear again. )
( i promise. )
( i just meant... you know... i'm not sure whether i should be letting these things affect me... )
Survival of the fittest, right? ...Right?
( hopefully you don't mind me asking but... are you... doing alright? )
( i don't mean in terms of the danger... just... you know, with everything that has been happening... )
no subject
it's fine
i mean
i'm starting to think with this game
it's not even just a matter of being weak or strong
sometimes you get cut down because things happen
and you cou|dn't see it coming
...and in any case
this isn't |ike A|ternia
it's not |ike this is some kind of competition
Though god you wish this game was nothing like Alternia, which it unfortunately still kind of is.
mmm
i've been fine
i guess
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( as long as...you think you're alright... i guess there's no reason for me to worry... )
( but, you know, i think you're right about the game... )
( for all the fascinating things that it has to discover... it can also be remarkably random, and, in that sense...very cruel. )
( i hadn't really wanted to say anything...but the reason i was unable to communicate — the trouble with my planet that i mentioned — was because the game... it made it so i couldn't hurt a lot of the enemies, and hurt my consorts instead... )
( i really might have...starved...from the siege if it hadn't been for avispa and phylus, and... )
( ...perrix. )
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Which still isn't very confidence-inspiring, to be honest.
so
|ike |ife
except the game is far more systematic about it
but
that sounds ridicu|ous
i mean in the sense that you had to dea| with that
how are you supposed to progress |ike that?
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( because yes, that's exactly it: it seems to go...directly counter to the goals of the game, and even its own stated mechanics! )
( it's not as though...i got any kind of grist...when one of my consorts died... )
( kaprao, i...never really asked you this before... )
( but, this game... remind me how you got it? and... )
( ...are you certain that you can really trust the source? )
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|ike
a|| the numerous g|itches there a|ready are
urm
i got this from a friend who
admitted|y kind of programmed this on re|ative|y short notice
since she got to|d "by the way the wor|d is going to end through meteors"
by my former moirai| who had visions
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( i...guess that would...make it hard to make everything perfect... having to code everything on such short notice... )
( also, kaprao... you knew a lot of trolls i never did. )
( i guess i also never really thought about that before... )
( but then, of course, i never really knew many trolls at all... )
( so...i'm sorry, that i never your moirail, before... )
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i don't even know how i know as many tro||s as i do
or
how i ended up being the one recruiting a|most everybody
that's in our session right now
and
urm
it's okay
i kind of get the fee|ing that most peop|e wou|dn't |ike him that much
if they had actua||y met him
==> Lyndis: Go talk to a girl of your own volition.
-- artfulTransgressor [AT] began trolling tenderAgrotera [TA]. --
so hey
kappy said i should talk to you
and honestly i cant remember if weVe eVer talked before anyway so its probably long oVerdue regardless
Re: ==> Lyndis: Go talk to a girl of your own volition.
( though... in fact, no, i don't think i've ever spoken with you before... )
( i hope i am able to live up to the recommendation... )
( ...even if, yes, i imagine it really is very important for everyone to meet... as you say, regardless. )
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but honestly theres so many people in the sessions that its hard to remember who i mightVe spoken to offhand unless i talk to them regularly
anyway youre already kinda liVing up to it
he basically said you dont think the whole rampant culling thing on alternia was the hottest idea
with the implication that thisd make you easier to work with here
since you seem pretty chill and cooperatiVe so far it seems like he was more or less on target there
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( ...well, i guess, now that we're...here, it doesn't much matter that the secret's out. )
( no, i really...despised that aspect of alternia. all that pointless violence and...death. )
( but what could we do about it? just...try to be strong, and...kill too, when we had to, if it meant others would at least...leave us alone... )
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It's good to see you online again.
I heard the others found you?
I imagine we'll be meeting in person soon, then.
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( ...because yes, the others got me out of... a fairly tight spot... )
( but of course, things are just fine now that everything is ... ah... )
( ...back to normal. )
Yes, totally normal. For sure. Nothing to see here, move along.
( i do look forward to seeing you... )
( i trust everything is, ah...comparatively smooth, on your planet? )
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I'm only sorry I couldn't be there, but I'm, ah, looking forward to seeing all of you as well when you arrive.
Though I haven't had much in the way of company for some time.
So I hope it won't be too strange at first.
Really, you just wish you could stop feeling NERVOUS about the whole thing. There's no reason to think that anything would go HORRIBLY WRONG just because everyone is gathering. Or at least not more HORRIBLY WRONG than things have already gone.
I suppose one could say that things have gone... somewhat smoothly.
There seem to be a great deal of things to puzzle out on my planet, but I'm not entirely sure how well I'm doing.
It sounds like it's been somewhat less exciting than whatever happened on your planet, in any case.
What did you run into, anyway?